On occasion Flow hosts school students who would like to job shadow and find out a little about the world of work and the communications sector in particular. In August, Bridget Estill from St Mary’s School and Jessica Smith from Roedean School joined Flow’s CEO, Tara Turkington, for two days each.
According to Bridget, job shadowing is intended to prepare Grade 11 students for the working world, after they graduate. The hope is that it will smooth the transition from school to the reality of the working world.
Both Bridget and Jessica shared their individual experiences at Flow. Here’s what they took with them.
Jessica: Day one
An all-women boardroom
It was a cold, grey morning as I started my two‐day job shadowing experience, a stark contrast to the quirky building I found myself in. At Flow, glowing pink glass doors ushered me in at the entrance, straight into a reception room that was tastefully accessorised with pink rugs and chairs. I made my way up the multi‐coloured stairs which led me to stripy walls and creatively decorated whiteboards. Nothing was how I expected it to be.
Before I could meet everyone I was whisked away to a WPO (Women Presidents’ Organization) meeting. Seeing an all-women boardroom in which everyone was successful in so many different ways, was really inspiring. And watching how friendly and passionate they were about their businesses made me respect them all the more. Attending this meeting was special to me because it allowed me to experience and understand the other side of business life. Not everything flows smoothly and without challenges in business.
Many conversations over cookies and cups of coffee were had and it made me realise that what I thought happens in meetings with CEOs of huge businesses was actually very different to reality.
Next we were off to a meeting at G&G Digital (Gullan and Gullan). It was here that I learnt how difficult it must be to remain focused and energised when going straight from one meeting into the next (although I think wearing All Stars and jeans to work every day could be the solution).
Finally it was time to return to the Flow of things. Everyone I met was so welcoming and willing to explain to me what he or she did. I learnt more about the different areas in a communications company.
I’ve learned that you don’t have to know everything at the beginning but that over time you will figure it out. It’s about doing something you are passionate about and then allowing that passion to grow and lead you in the right direction.
Bridget: Day one
Learning to survive
I am beginning to find an interest in communications and public relations, yet I didn’t even have a Twitter account until my first day at Flow.
After receiving a 30-minute Twitter crash course I was told that I would be handling the Twitter account for Flow at a major event hosted by UN Women and McKinsey and Company. It involved the release of a statistics report about women in business.
This was an incredibly nerve-racking moment for me since I had never handled an account. However I managed to get through the evening by trusting Tara’s opinion and belief in a virgin tweeter. I also retweeted many of those attending the event since they seemed to know what they were doing and I was sort of pretending. I enjoyed the #womenmatterAfrica report launch and tweeting for UN Women Africa.
Jessica: Day two
AIDS relief and anaesthesiologists
Day two was off to a less busy start, but not any less exciting. It was a Friday and the office had a good energy about it.
Interviewing Tara was interesting and I gained a lot of insight into the backstory of the business together with valuable tips and advice that will definitely be helpful later in life. We could’ve talked forever but had to rush off to a PEPFAR (the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) meeting.
I learned a lot from PEPFAR’s initiative – empowering women and educating them; creating a future generation that can make a change.
Following the PEPFAR meeting I met other amazing people at Flow and was invited to attend a SASA (South African Society of Anaesthesiologists) meeting – I’d never even heard of them prior to this.
Then I headed to the Flow boardroom, which was nothing like I’d anticipated (this has become a trend) as it was a less scary but again very quirky room. I sat in on a pitch for the British Council that was very much like drama practice. I found this experience valuable as one of my subjects at school is Drama.
At this point I was getting tired and wondered how Tara could sit in meetings all day all the time. As I pondered this, I was whisked off to my final meeting of the day.
This meeting was quite different to the rest as it was a session to review a self‐guided tour app for Constitutional Hill – a very creative concept. I heard ideas on how the app should work and be displayed and its aesthetics were explored by so many different people, which was tons of fun and I’m so glad I got to sit in on that.
At the end of day two I was invited to join some people from Flow at Hollard for sundowners. This gave me the opportunity to speak to new business people and it made me feel so important being at a place like Hollard. Being at the amazing Herbert Baker buildings with delicious food on offer really set the scene.
Bridget: Day two
How to 'Be Pink'
At the end of my two days at Flow I’d learnt a few things, one of which is how to 'Be Pink.'
Pink is seen as a way of life for the staff at Flow and their offices show this in every way. Even the rooms are named after shades of pink. I will admit that the idea of living pink was originally a difficult concept for me since I have never particularly liked the colour (don’t tell the Flow people this). But my immersion in a life of pink has changed me and I am proud to call myself a lover of pink, especially when it comes to Flow.
Leave the box in the car park because Flow thinks outside of it.
Flowstars are able to come up with ideas that no one else has. I have learnt that creativity is required in everything you do in the business of social media and marketing.
No day has been the same while I’ve been at Flow. Each experience has been a completely new and eye-opening moment for me – from meeting inspiring businesswomen to getting the lay of the business landscape.
Flow is a truly original company and I’m grateful for the opportunity to join them for a couple of days. Maybe one day I’ll even be as cool as a Flowstar. #Flow #Learning #ICanHashtagNow #TwitterGenius #ThanksFlow
